Automobile-signal.



A. J. LEWIS.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

APPucAnou FILED JULY 9.1911.

1 374,289. Patented July 30, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR V Anialne ellem's,

BY M 5m ATTORNEY A. 1. LEWIS.

AUTOMOBlLE SIGNAL.

APPLICATION HLED IULY 9. m1

1,274,289. Patented July 30, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR A 12 lane cl Lemzls,

ATTORNEY WITNESS m: rwnms PEI'ERS co puma-ma. wasumurun n C.

Specification of Lettr's Iatent.

Patented July so, 1918.

To all wlw'm dt may concern? Be it known that I, Assess J. Lflwls', acitihen of the United States, resltlihg' at Irvington, in the county ofAlameda! anti State of Califotnia, have iirveiite'd new and usefulImprovements in Automobile-si na'ls; of which the following is asphcification.

This i'nvhtioh is a signal more partieslarly adapted for use 11 onself-propelled vehicles, wherein the the e indications ma be given bythe driver to a following vehicle.

(hie object of the invention is to rb'vid'e a signal that may be quicklyshdp as ny operated by the driver to give an effective warning.

Another object is to provide a signal that will ebhsist of fewparts, 1itend strung in onstruction, and one that will be than and easilyinstalled upon a vehicle, t

"' further abject is to provide a Si her, having a swinging arrhjcarrying a; 'ight emitting elemht at its free end and suit hhis circuitclosing meats operated by the movement of the t Broadly stated, theinvention whip-rises a swinging thin carrying at its free end a lamphousing on whichmw be inher ted a sign, a lamp within said housing, acircui't for said lamp, and means operates by the swinging of the arm u)chase the arena for the lamp, means to return the swi'ngl'fig aim to aninoperative osition, means to permit said arm 0 move to a signalposition, said means in'c'l d'ing a spring, a manually operated elementto retract or wihdraw said Ssihgihg" sin that its hpershi e pos ion, andmeans to attach the arm for swinging movement to the body of a vehicleadjacent the forward end.

One practical form of construction will be described and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a detail View showingthe device applied to a self-propelled vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the signal drawn in an opposite direction;

Fig. 3 is a detail View of the switching mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the signal arm; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the arm in an operating position.

As shown, the body of the automobile is indicated at A, and connectedthereto is a V-shaped element having the sides 10, and

1-1' that terminate in flanges 12 and is. These flanges are providedwith suitable arms through which may pass any securing means, the erwhich i ih'aiehtea hy the sages 1 4. At thc'apek amnesty the juncture ofthe sides 10 and T1 with each othhi', there is rovidhd a pivotale'mmec'tion, the pines e which may be'semn-ed to the sid'cs iii anycoiivenieh't manner, e1- it ma be ada ted tolo'tate in suitablebearin'gsformed at t ie ape t. AS shown; this pintle' extends the; fun width ofthe Sides to and 11.

Each of the sides 1 0 and 11 are provided with a iecess 16 which permitsthe uncovering of the central portion of the pantie and also" afl'fordsa place in which to dispos thesptin'gf indicated at 17. Tile spiin" 1'7is" shown as encircling the pintle 15, is, therefore, of thehelicalvariety having two free ehds indicated at 18 and 19; on of thefree ends, 'suhh' as is indicated at is, lies ag ins the side 11. Hnsshmvh, the pihtle 15 i of gr ater width than either oftthe sides 10 or11. This is dbri'e to p'r'oyide a 'inged coniiecti'on with the armindicated at 20. he arm 20 is pf'vided on its up er and lower edgeswithreinforcing strips indicated at 21 and 22, which extend outwardly fromthe arm afi'd are prhvided with suitable holes through which pass thee'xtended ends at the pint e 15, thus providing a hinged tom w pe forthe arm. Adiace'nt this hinged en the aii'n, a suitable paci g member,indicated at 23, is employed, whihh has mounted thereon one portio n ofa circuit closing device.

s shown this circuit closing device 06mprlses an insulating base 25 towhich is secured the switch blade 26. The securing means may be of anyusual or customary type. To maintain the base 24 on the arm spacingmeans 23 the bolts 25 may be emplo ed.

ilitably mounted upon the side 10 of the V-shaped member is a contactmember having a base 27 spaced therefrom by the insulation 27 andprojecting spring fingers indicated at 28 for engagement with the switchblade 26. If desired, instead of being single circuit closing means,this may be made as a double point switch. The switching mechanism isprovided with terminals to form suitable connections with a lampindicated at 29, carrying the lamp housing 30. The circuit Wiresconnectin the socket for the lamp 29 with the termina s of the switchingmechanism may be carried in a suitable conduit indicated at 31.

In order to provide a removable and detachable connection for thecircuit so that the lamp 29 may be turned oil, the usual type ofEdi-Swann plug and socket may be used, as indicated at 32. The lamphousing 30 may he of the usual type formed of metal, and it is preferredto have the glass front indicated at 33 colored so that the rays emittedwill be red. The top of the housing is provided with an oblong openingindicated at 34 in which a clear glass may be inserted which will directrays of light to the sign indicated at 35.

The sign may bear upon it the word Safety and have an arrow extendingfrom and connecting with several letters of the word in order to make itvisible at a dis tance when in operative connection with the coloredlight thrown out by the lamp housing through its glass front 33.Positioning, this sign upon top of the lamp permits a simultaneousoperation of a direction signal and also calls the attention of thedriver of a following vehicle that some change in direction iscontemplated by the leading vehicle.

The arm 20 is maintained in an inoperative position by means of a latch35 that is operatively connected to a pedal 36 by the connectionindicated at 37. When it is desired to permit the arm to move to itssignaling position, the pedal may be operated, which by means of itsconnection 37, moves the latch 35, releasing the arm 20. The springindicated at 17 has one end bearing against the side 11. while its otherfree end 19 bears against the spacing member 23. When the arm 20 ismaintained in inoperative position energy is stored in the spring 17, sothat When the latch is released the spring serves to move the arm 20 toan operative or signaling position.

Copies of this" patent may be obtained tor In order to retract orwithdraw the arm 20 from its signaling position to inoperative position,a cable or other suitable element 38 may be employed. The cables shouldbe attached at some convenient point on the arm so that the arm may beswung to its inoperative position with little labor and quickly.

Minor changes in the form, proportions, and details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a spring actuatedsignal arm, of a slidably mounted element, a pedal located in the pathof movement of said element, means carried by the latter for detachableengagement with the pedal and means connecting the slidably mountedelcn'lent with the signal arm, whereby the former will hold the latteragainst movement.

2. The combination with a spring actm ated signal arm, of a slidablymounted element, a pedal located in the path of movement of saidelement, means carried by the latter for detachable engagement with thepedal and an annular shoulder formed on the slidably mounted element forengagement with the pedal, whereby the signal arm will be held againstmovement.

3. The combination with a spring actuated signal arm, of a slidablymounted bolt, a flexible element connecting said bolt with the signalarm, a spring actuated pedal mounted in the path of movement of the boltand an annular shoulder. formed on said bolt for engagement with saidpedal, whereby the latter will hold the signal arm against movement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

AN TONE J. LEWIS.

Washington, D. 0."

